Friday 17 August 2012

The 1000k Countdown

I was so tired this morning, I think it must of come from the heat of yesterday. It seems to be getting warm each day at the moment, with today being no exception with the Mothership displaying 35degs in the cabin!

It started out nice and mild as it always does here in the QLD winter, however come 11am the mercury is really starting to rise up and come lunch time its time to be well and truly off the trail. Looks like its only going to get warmer the further north I travel.

I was once again back on the dirt roads that seem to go on forever through the cattle stations. I was hoping to finish up at a station pub today, but it looks like its further than first thought. Its a pub in the middle of nowhere, like alot of pubs in Australia, however all that's at this place is a pub, oh and the cattle station that its on!

Looks like I will be passing it tomorrow as I head towards the range and the Burkin Dam the other side of it classed as the largest dam in QLD. I will be holding reserves myself when I get to that pub tomorrow, if the weather is like it was today. Plus we have the some celebrating to to as I am now officially down into triple digits!

As i left the tiny town of Scottville I was instantly once again back into the hart of cattle country and the rest of the day was spent there. Luckily I had Vickie for support today, making the weather more bearable and my hydration levels fully topped.

There were only two properties that I passed on route and I bumped into one of the owners as he made his way across his 100,000 hectors on his quad bike. He wasn't amazed to see me like most land owners are, in fact he had been expecting me after seeing me on the Channel 7 News the other night, the power of the media. We had a good old yarn for half hour, panicking Vickie who was waiting for me 5km ahead, and wondering why I was taking so long.

It was worth the wait. As I made my way to the Maui Mothrship I knew it was the 1000km to go mark. Vickie was waiting for me with a smile on her face, as I got closer I could see that she had put an official mark on the ground in flour!


I wanted to get on and get another 1km under my belt so I was quickly into those triple figures. Vickie went ahead again, and once again when I arrived she had yet another smile on her face. She had written 999km on her tummy!

It nice to have someone to enjoy these moments with, as for the best part I'm out there by myself, however, it seems that she has been there for all the mile stones and boarder crossings!

The rest of the day has been spent trying to get out of the heat, which proves to be difficult when in the middle of nowhere without trees!

It was nice to finish today, purely just to get out of the sun, but no real ending as we are still in the sticks.

Its a funny feeling, knowing that the BNT is drawing close to an end. In some ways it will be nice to complete the journey, but something inside of me wants it to just keep going, you never know I might just turn around and head back. Not that Vickie's up for it, perhaps I could become a running nomad?!

                                           Writing this blog while being observed by cows.

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